OPEN FOR BUSINESS: Valencia CF to start its first academy in U.S. at LIU Post

Spanish La Liga side Valencia CF will open its first VCF Academy in the United States this year in New York.

The first academy of its type in the U.S., Valencia CF has signed a deal with Long Island University C.W. Post to host the academy at their facilities, including professional grade natural grass and turf soccer fields – with plans to open a full size indoor facility for next winter. C.W. Post is located in Greenvale, N.Y. on Long Island.

In addition to offering high level training using the Valencia CF methodology, the academy plans to organize player clinics, coach education and an annual tournament for teams from all over the country.

“It is a great opportunity to be able to open an academy in the United States, where both male and female football is growing a lot,” VCF director Luis Vicente Mateo said in a statement. “In addition, it is great to do so in a city as emblematic as New York. It is an honor to work alongside the prestigious LIU, who have experience in academic training since 1928 and fantastic sports facilities where we can offer young players in New York the training methods of our academy. Entering New York and the United States is a great challenge and a great opportunity for our club to expand the Valencia CF brand.”

The Academy will hold trials for boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 17, which will run May 30 to June 10. At least 200 signed players are expected to be selected this year.

Valencia CF has signed a collaboration agreement with LIU. As well as using its facilities, negotiations have been opened to, among other initiatives, offer scholarships to study and play soccer for boys and girls at VCF Academies in Valencia and New York.

Valencia has campuses in more than 20 countries and soccer schools in several locations around the world. That includes permanent projects in Shanghai, Singapore, Japan, Bermuda, Malaysia and Canada.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer the New York youth soccer market the highest standard of coaching, a proven methodology with almost 100 years history of creating professional players, state of the art facilities and a partnership with one of the most famous brands in world soccer,” Valencia head of communications for the New York Academy Marios Christos Sfantos, Esq. said in a statement. “Valencia CF’s commitment to improving the delivery, infrastructure and opportunities in the US is far reaching and will see players in their US based academy and associated youth soccer clubs offered real exposure to the professional game.”